Attachment for sewing machines



Feb. 23, 1960v Filed NOV. 3, 1952 V. J. SIGODA ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. V/CTOR (ZS/600,4

A 7 TOR/V5) V. J. SIGODA ATTACK-[BENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Feb. 23, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 3, 1952 IIIIIIIIII IN VEN TOR We 70/? (ZS/soon TTORNE) Feb. 23, 1960 v. J. SIGODA 2,925,796

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 3, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. We ran d. SIC-700A ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1960 v. J. SIGODA 2,925,795

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 3, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

V/CTOR d. 3/6004 This invention relates to improvements insewingma chine rufliing attachments-and more particularly to apparatus for producing a series of stitched, scallop-shaped rufiles or gathers of a typeknown in thetrade as Van Dyke rufiiing. I

One of the principal purposes of the invention has been to provide an attachment which canbeincorporated into the sewing machine without altering its basic structure and.

which may readily be removed therefrom without affectmg the operation of thesewing machine.

It has also been a prime object to provide an attach- 2,925,796 Patented Feb. 23, 1960 ICE Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the scalloped ruffling as it would be applied to a base or carrier fabric by means of the attachment in conjunction with the stitchforming and work-feeding mechanisms of the sewing machine.

The attachment consists of two main sections, the mechanism for developing the rufiling and the mechanism for producing the lateral reciprocation of the material which results in the rufiles being scalloped as they are sewn together. Each of these main sections in turn consists of a drive mechanism and a material manipulating portion.

The machine generally Referring to Fig.1, the attachment as a whole is shown applied to a Singer type 143W l machine. This machine 10 has the usual base 11,.pedestal 12, overhanging arm 14, and the needle-head which carries the needle-bar ment which may be mounted on the sewing machine in such position as to atford 'the operator a clear, unobstructed view of thework and which permits unhampered passage of the fabric materialsbeing sewn under the arm of the machine. Such an arrangement. makespossible application of scallopshaped rufiling to any garment or fabric sections which can conviently pass beneath the arm of the sewing machine." This also permits the sewing machine base to be free of all mechanism which would. tend to disarrange or soil the work, which is an advantage when it is realized that the working parts of any high speed mechanical device require adequate lubrication.

16 and needle 17 and the vertically movable presser-foot bar 18 on which is mounted the resser-foot 19. -The hook which cooperates with the needle to form the stitches and the feed-dog which coacts with the presser-foot shoe to feed the work are not showmbeing so well known in the art as to require no further description of their structure or. operation. V v

Extending horizontally within arm 14, as indicated in Fig. 3, is the usual main shaft 20 having drive-wheel 21 at one end and connected at the other end within needlehead 15 with the usual mechanism for reciprocating the needle-bar 16 vertically. The needle-bar 16 is carried in a laterally shiftable guide-frame 22 (partially shown in Fig. 1) pivoted at its upper end in the usual manner within needle-head 15. This guide-frame 22 is laterally shifted through pitman 23 which is vibrated from an adjustable eccentric of well known construction generally indicated at 24. The rotation of this eccentric produces the vibratory motion which shifts the'needle from side-to-side to form Zigzag stitches and, since it forms no part of this A further object has been to provide a simple, effective I and inexpensive attachment for sewing machinestdproduce scallop-shaped rufliing in the large scale manufacture of womens garments and analogous products, ata high rate of speed with uniformity of product and reliability of performance.

Other objects will in part appear and in part be obvious from the following detailed description of the. presently preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a zigzag sewing machine of well known make to which the attachment has been applied with one portion in vertical section showing how theoscillatory motion for producing the ruffiingis developed at the drive-wheel;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of part of the machine illustrating the drive means for developing the reciprocating motion which eifects the scalloping of the milling;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-4: of Fig. 1, showing further details of the construction of the mechanism which produces the scalloping of the rufiiing;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine with part of the arm broken away to show further details of the parts used to produce the scalloping of the rufiiing, and having the vertical section of Fig. 1 sectioned in a horizontal plane to show further how the oscillatory motion which drives the ruffling mechanism is developed at the drive-wheel;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation at the needle-head end of the machine, with the cover-plate removed, illustrating the parts used for operating the ruffling blade;

invention, no description need be given of its details of construction or the means for adjusting it. in passing however, it should be noted that the means for adjusting this eccentric permits the extent of the side-to-side vibration 'orthe'bight throw to lie-reduced to a point where the needle sews straight stitching without any zigzag efiect. Accordingly, it'can be appreciated that the invention to be described does not depend upon zigzag stitching for its effectiveness, although the many advantages of zigzag stitching make it preferable for use on soft materials or yieldable materials such as net or tricot.

This eccentric is driven from main shaft 20 through a pair of spiral gearsZS and 26(Fig. 3) which may have the usual ratio of 2 to 1 so that transverse shaft 28 rotates once for each two revolutions of main shaft 20, each rota tion of the latter corresponding to one stitch.

Drive mechanism for the rufiling A hollow eccentric block 29 is secured over the hub end of drive-wheel ZI and extends within the open side of Fig. 5A is an exploded view, in perspective, showing the structure and operating relationship of various of the parts and asuitably formed housing 30 on the upper end of a supporting arm 31 which is rigidly bolted as at 32 to the base 11 of the machine. An eccentric stud 34 is screwed into the outer face of eccentric block 29 at a fixed distance, radially off center which is selected to provide the desired maximum oscillation of the rutfiing blade. Rock shaft 35 is suitably journalled at 36 in housing 30. Arm 38 i's clamped to shaft 35 at its end within the housing. Pitman 39 links the end of arm 38 with the eccentric stud 3-4.

However it will be understood that eccentric block 29 and link 39 may be readily replaced with an eccentric and strap connection with arm 38 to produce oscillation of rock shaft 35.

' The oscillation of rock shaft 35 produced by the operathe viewer.

/ (8 tion of the sewing machine is transmitted to the ruffler producing mechanism which will now be described.

Rufiler producing mechanism j The usual face-plate which covers the end or the needlehead is removed and a casting 4t) whichis substantially 1 a counterpart of the face-plate is substituted and suitably secured to the needle-head. Casting 49 includes a housing section 41 which projects rearwardly from the plate section "42 with respect to the arm 14. The open side of this housing section -41 may be closed by a removable, thin, metal face-plate '43 so that all of the movable operating parts for the rufiling blade are completelyconcealed and protected, while permitting easy access thereto should occasion require.

Thefront lower end portion of casting is formed with a suitable bearing 44- for aruffler blade operating shaft 45. On the external end of shaft 45, a downwardly extending arm holder 46 is clamped, and arm 48, v'vl'iic'li extends downwardly toward the needle 17, is carried thereby. A stud shaft 49 is secured to arm 48 at its lowermost end. Pivotally mounted on shaft 49 is a end 74 is drawn upwardly, uncoiling spring 72 and thus tending to rotate shaft 64 so that arm 66 is drawn downwardly} The torsion exerted on rock shaft 64 by spring 72 may be adjusted by unclamping and shifting the radial position of spring anchoring arm 75 on rock shaft 64.

v The extent to which rock shaft 64 may be rotated is limited by the end'of thumbscrew 70 coming into conruining blade holder 50,10 which is'secufed the tempered spring steel, toothed, ruining blade 51. A suitable spring 52' yieldingly urges'the toothed end of the milling blade upwardly upon the fabric material to be ru'filed or gathered as it moves to the needle. The tension exerted by spring 52 may be regulated by loosening and retightening nut 53 which is threaded on stud shaft 49 and locks spring anchoring arm 54in suitable positiom. It is to be understood that the other end of spring 52 is suitably anchored in an opening in ruffier blade holder 50.

Casting .40 is formed with a suitable bearing 55 for Drive mechanism for lat'rally shifting the fabric guide Transverse shaft 2S -isfsomewhat longer than and replaces the corresponding shaft'with which the machine is originally equipped. The extended end of this shaft passes through an opening in :agear train support-plate fifiwhich is fastened tame back-of arm 14. Shaft 28 carries at its exterior end gear .79 eng aged with a compound gear 80, having a larger toothed portion 81 in mesh with gear 79, and a smaller toothed portion 82 which is in mesh with: a final, large gear 35 mounted on shaft This gear train provides a further reduction from therate-of rotation ofarmshaftZO. In the parts illustrated, the ratio is three to one, which together with the'reduction of two'to one previously obtained through rock shaft 35 which has an angular bracket member 56 mounted on its end within the housing portion 41. Bracket member 56 has a shaft portion 58 normal to the axis of rotation of rockshaft 35. Upon this shaft portion 58 a block 59 is slidably mounted. Block 59 has a part slidably engaged in longitudinal slot 60 of a lever 61, the parts being arranged to permit relative angular movement between said lever and the shaft portion 58 of bracket member 56. I p

The lower end of slotted lever 61 is secured to an arm 62 which is clamped to the rufiler blade operating shaft 45 so that as rocking movement is imparted'to rock shaft 35. from the eccentric drive mechanism previously described, oscillatory motion will be transmitted to the rufliing blade 51.

,As previously explained, the radial distance olf center of stud 34 on eccentric block 29 determines the maximum stroke of bracket 56. For the purpose ofreducing this stroke to any desired degree, including rendering the milling blade practically inoperative, the position of slide block 59 may be adjusted relative to the upper end of slotted lever 61. The means for accomplishing this consists of rock shaft 64 suitably journalled in a bearing 65 in the side wall of housing 41. At the end of rock shaft 64 within the housing, the upper end of lever 66 is secured. The lower end of lever 66 is connected by link 68 with slide block 59. v V v To the end of rock shaft 64 outside the housing 41, a bifurcated lever 69 is fixed. As'viewed in Fig-2, arms 69a and 69b extend away from needle head 15 toward Upper arm 69a is threaded to receive an adjustable thumbscrew 70. Boss 71 on the exterior wall of housing 41 serves as a stop for arm 69b and the end of thumbscrew 70. v

I Arm 66 is normally urged downwardly to draw slide block 59 into a position on shaft 58 at which there is maximum oscillatory motion imparted to the milling blade 51. Spring 72 is coiled about rock shaft 64 with spiral. gears ZS'aud 26, results,in dr iven shaft 84 turning at one sixth the speed of armshaft.20.-

Shaft34 is journalled in support-plate 78 and carries an adjustable crank-block '85, suitably spaced from support-plate 78 by a bushing or hub 86, Block 85 has 1 a radiallydisposed T-slot 87 in which" stud 88 may be mounted at a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation The distance selected determines the extent of reciprocation of pitman'fltl which is pivotally mounted on stud- 88. Asthe stud is moved toward the center of block 85,'the stroke of arm. 90 is progressively lessened, and at the center position, there is no reciprocation of pitman 90.

In the meansshown in Figs. 1 and 3, ,stud 88 is fixed in its selected position inslot 87 by threading it through nut 89 so that the end of stud- 88 bears against the bottom of the T-slot and nut 89;bears against the opposite wall of the T-slot. i

Faliric g z zid shifting mechanism clamped on presser-foot bar 18 .is a bearing-yoke 91 (Fig. 4) having two downwardly;extending'arms 92 and 93which are bushed to act asijournals for a laterally reciprocating slide-rod 94. Rod 95 is disposed parallel to slide-rod 94 and is secured in yoke 91, by set screw 96 and .actsasan extended bearing and aligning guide for vertically disposed connecting-bar 98 which is also clamped to slide-bar 94 at 99. The'upper end of bar 98 is either slotted or bored to permit some clearance about rod 95 as the bar is reciprocated laterally. Pitman 90 is end 73 hearing against needle-head 15 andwith the other clamped on rock shaft 64, it is positioned so that spring pivotally connected with bar 98 at 100, and as pitman 90 is oscillated by the rotation of crank-block 85, slide rod 94 is laterally reciprocated across the line of feed.

At its outerlend slide-rod 94 has clamped to it a bent lever 101 to which the fabric strip material guide 76 and rufiiing plate 77 are secured, as by soldering.

Operation of the attachment The fabric strip which is to be ruffled or gathered is ,fed through guide 76 and under foot 19. A base or carrier fabric'material may beuse'd if desired, although it is not necessary. The wishesof the garment designer will of slide block 59 dictate whether it is used or not, as it is obvious that various decorative effects may be obtained by using different fabrics contrasting in either color or texture.

Operation of the machine will cause eccentric block 29 to rotate and in turn, ruffier blade 51 will begin to oscillate about its axis of rotation. The toothed end of the ruflling blade will engage the fabric strip emerging from guide 76, and as the ruflling blade oscillates toward the presser-foot 19 at any rate greater than the rearward feed stroke of the feed-dog, additional material will be fed under the shoe and will form a fold or gather. This folding'or gathering action is generally timed to occur during the downward stroke of the needle so that the gather or fold will be fully formed just as the needle begins to penetrate the work, thereby holding the fold so that it may be secured by the subsequent stitch formation. The rufiiing blade is normally retracted during this latter portion of the stitching cycle so that it will be in position to commence to form a new ruflie or gather on its next stroke toward the shoe.

It is well known that rufliing is produced only when the rate at which the wider blade advances the material is greater than the rate at which the feed members advance the work. It follows that increasing the throw of the rufller blade will increase the depth of the ruffle or gather. As indicated previously, suitable adjustment of thumbscrew 70 will provide milling of any given depth within the maximum capabilities of the mechanism as constructed.

While the rufiling proceeds during the course of operation of the sewing machine, rotation of mainshaft 20 will cause crankblock 85 to rotate and vibrate pitrnan 90 which in turn will reciprocate slide-bar 94 and guide 76.

As guide 76 is shifted across the line of stitching and feeding, the rufiling will continue to form as described, but each succeeding rufile will be laterally offset slightly from the preceding rufile, producing an ornamental, undulating effect as indicated in Fig. 6.-

-In the specimen shown in that view, the milling blade was actuated to produce one rufile for each stitch, but by substitution of other rufliing mechanisms, as for example that shown in Sigoda Patent 2,352,660, other ratios may be obtained.

While the invention has been described as illustrated in the present preferred embodiment, it is apparent that numerous detailed changes in construction might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A scalloped ruffling attachment for a sewing machine having a base; a main shaft; a needle head; a needle bar and a needle carried thereby and a presser foot bar having a presser foot carried by said head; means for reciprocating a rufliing blade downwardly toward said needle and a pivotally supported ruflling blade operated thereby; and a transverse shaft having a driving connection with the main shaft: said attachment including a support attachable to the machine; a shaft journalled in said support; means adapted to be connected to said machine transverse shaft for driving said attachment shaft; a bracket adapted to be clamped to said presser foot bar above the presser foot; a bar journalled in said bracket for reciprocation transversely of the line of stitching rearwardly of the needle when the attachment is mounted on the machine; a crank on said attachment shaft; a connecting rod joining the crank to said reciprocating bar; a ruffiing plate and a strip fabric guide carried by said bar; said plate being adapted to extend upwardly in advance of said needle and arranged to be in the path of downward movement of said rufiiing blade when the attachment is mounted on the machine; said guide having its outlet disposed above said plate in such position that the strip emerging downwardly therefrom may be engaged between said plate and said blade as the latter is reciprocated in the operation of the machine; said attachment being supported wholly above said base when mounted on the machine.

2. An attachment according to claim 1 in which a downwardly and forwardly extending arm depending from said reciprocating bar supports the rufliing plate in advance of the needle and in which said plate also supports the strip fabric guide with its outlet disposed above that portion of said plate with which the ruffling blade engages to gather the fabric strip in the operation of the sewing machine when the attachment is mounted thereon.

3. A scalloped rufiling attachment for a sewing machine having a base; an arm above said base; a main shaft; a needle head; a needle bar and a needle carried thereby and a presser foot bar having a presser foot carried by said head; means for reciprocating a ruflling blade downwardly toward said needle and a pivotally supported rufiiing blade operated thereby; and a transverse shaft having a driving conection with the main shaft: said attachment including a detachable plate adapted to be secured to and to depend from said machine arm; said plate having an opening through which the machine transverse shaft may extend; an attachment shaft journalled in said detachable plate in parallel relationship to said machine transverse shaft when the said plate is mounted on the machine arm; means adapted to connect the machine transverse shaft and said attachment shaft to drive the latter; a bearing member adapted to be attached to the machine arm; a rod journalled in said bearing member for reciprocation transversely of the line of stitching rearwardly of the needle when the attachment is mounted on the machine; a crank on said attachment shaft; a connecting rod joining the crank to said reciprocating rod; a rufliing plate and a strip fabric guide carried by said rod; said plate being adapted to extend upwardly in advance of said needle and arranged to be in the path of downward movement of said rufiling blade when the attachment is mounted on the machine; said guide having its outlet disposed above said plate in such position that the strip emerging downwardly therefrom may be engaged between said plate and said blade as the latter is reciprocated in the operation of the machine; said attachment being supported wholly above said base when mounted on the machine.

4. An attachment in accordance with claim 3 in which a stationary bearing and aligning rod is carried by the bearing member when the latter is attached to the machine; said stationary rod being supported in parallel relation to the reciprocating rod journalled in said bearing member; together with a vertically disposed bar con nected to said reciprocating rod; said bar having a portion constructed and arranged to bear against the stationary rod to prevent rotation of said reciprocating rod.

5. An attachment according to claim 4 in which a downwardly and forwardly extending arm is secured to one end of saidreciprocating rod and supports the fabric guide in advance of the needle and wholly above the base of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 246,442 Amaden Aug. 30, 1881 271,679 Baker Feb. 6, 1883 1,273,156 De Voe July 23, 1918 2,245,877 Sigoda June 17, 1941 2,476,602 Harpham July 19, 1949 2,631,556 Seaman Mar. 17, 1953 2,669,203 Hiltbrunner et al Feb. 16, 1954 2,682,843 Seaman July 6, 1954 

